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The Nike Dunk Low “What The JP” is a sleeper pair that carries more heat than first impressions might suggest. Originally released exclusively in Japan back in 2017, this pair was incredibly hard to come by outside of resale. Fast forward to 2024, Nike shock-dropped the pair again exclusively on their website. But by then, the hype around regular (non-SB) Dunk Lows had cooled off, so much so that these were still sitting on Nike’s site well into 2025.
This pair follows the classic “What The” theme, combining elements from several iconic Dunk colorways into one mismatched shoe. But instead of the loud prints and wild textures we’ve seen on other “What The” releases, this one sticks with solid leather panels pulled from staple college colorways.
- Right Shoe: Michigan up front, Kentucky in the middle, and St. John on the heel.
- Left Shoe: St. John in the front, Michigan in the middle, and Syracuse holding down the back.
Despite the left/right mismatch, the overall look feels surprisingly balanced. It’s not over-the-top or cartoonish. I usually avoid mismatched sneakers these days, but this one feels cohesive thanks to the uniform color blocking and lack of crazy prints. I’d been debating picking them up for a while, and after taking a couple of Ls on the Yuto Horigome Matcha SBs, I went ahead and grabbed these as a solid consolation prize.
This might not be a pair that makes headlines, but I think it’s one of those sleepers that people will regret skipping. It hasn’t shown up on many sites outside of Nike and resale platforms, and Nike hasn’t discounted it either, which makes me think they quietly consider this a more exclusive drop.
These come in the regular orange Nike box. You get three lace options: white flats, dark blue stretchy flats, and light blue stretchy flats.
Materials
The quality here really surprised me. All-leather construction, and it feels way nicer than your standard Dunk GR these days. It’s more in line with the 2020-era Dunk retros that had actual leather instead of the plasticky stuff Nike’s been using more recently. For a $120 retail, these definitely feel worth it.
Fit & Comfort
Nothing unexpected here—standard Dunk Low fit. True to size with a bit of room in the toe box, and basic padding around the collar and tongue. The soft leather helps with break-in, making these comfortable pretty quickly out of the box.
If these are sold out on Nike’s site, you can try looking for them on eBay.
Colorway: Midnight Navy / Varsity Maize
Style Code: IB2051-400
Retail Price: $120
Year of Release: 2017/2024